Rose Petals
by iloveromance
Summary: After a two-week stint as an instructor at a psychologist convention in Spokane, it's finally time for Niles to go home to his beloved Daphne and his loving son, David. But the road to Seattle and their home at The Montana is paved with unplanned detours, causing him to wonder if they'll ever be reunited. A collective effort by Pat2Trivia4Me, myself, Kristen3 and leighann415
1. Chapter 1

Niles closed his brief case and glanced out over the crowd in the symposium as they applauded. It had been a long week in Spokane. Being one of many speakers at this conference was quite an honor and a privilege, nonetheless, Niles was missing Daphne. He had already checked out of his hotel and in his mind, he was already heading for the airport.

The chairman of the seminar approached the podium and shook his hand. "Very well done Doctor Crane."

"Oh, it was my privilege. Interpreting dreams is one of my favorite elements in psychology."

"That story about the man with a reoccurring dream about living underwater and when he finally leaves the water, the fish follow him out of the water. It was quite entertaining."

"Yes, thank you."

"I'm throwing a little 'Dinner and Drinks' at a local restaurant for all of the speakers. Can I count on your attendance?"

"I would love to Mister Thourrow, however, I have a plane to catch."

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that. Perhaps next time."

"Looking forward to it. Safe travels Doctor Crane and Godspeed."

Niles hurried through the crowd and out the exit. He caught a cab to the airport. Once arriving at his gate he took a seat in the waiting area with his ticket in hand. He smiled. He almost felt like a little boy on the eve of Christmas. It would be so good to see Daphne again and to hold her.

Then there was a call over the PA_:_

"_Attention all passengers. Attention all passengers. Due to unexpected fog, all departing flights are cancelled until further notice. All arriving flights have been re-routed. Please check with the corresponding airline ticketing agent for airport destinations for inbound flights. We do apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. All outbound passengers check with your ticket agent for hotel accommodations. Thank you and once again, on behalf of all the staff here, we are sorry for the inconvenience." _

Niles had a first class ticket. Surely they would put him up in the closest five star hotel at no cost, but that didn't matter to him. His heart sank. Christmas had just been canceled.

He sat there for several moments to muster the strength to make his call. Her beautiful, warm voice was on the other end.

"_Hello?" _

"Daphne, it me, Niles…"

Before he could get another word out, she spoke with such excitement in her voice. "_Oh Niles! You're coming home, aren't you I can't wait to hold you. I've got your favorite wine and dessert waiting for you." _

He had to swallow before he spoke. "Daphne, that sounds wonderful, but unfortunately, they will have to wait for another day."

"_What… what are you saying?" _

"The flights in Spokane are canceled due to a thick fog."

"_Oh dear,"_ her voice dropped.

"Don't worry my love. I'll be home tomorrow."  
_ "Did you get a hotel room?"_

"No, I have to check in at the ticket counter."

"_Well, I'd best shove off so you can check in before all of the rooms are taken."_

"Daphne…"

"_Yes Niles?" _

"I… I love you so very much."

"_Oh, I love you too. Now go get that room. Call me when you get settled."_

"Good-bye Daphne."

"_Good-bye Love."_

Niles ended the call and put his cell phone back in his coat pocket. He sat there for a few moments. He really didn't care about the quality of room accommodations at this moment. He just wanted to get home to see his Daphne. A warm smile arose from his lips. There was a sparkle in his eyes. He would rent a car. Yes, he would. He could be with Daphne in four hours. His heart was dancing. He would surprise her.

It would be amazing.


	2. Chapter 2

Niles bound from his seat with his briefcase in hand and he seemed to fly through the airport to the car rentals. There he found himself faced with a line at least fifty people deep who were also waiting to rent a car. The line moved at a snail's pace and when he finally reached the counter, the uninterested clerk gave him an annoyed glance. But Niles was undeterred by her rudeness. He smiled and produced his credit card. "I need to rent a car; the most luxurious one that you have. The name is _Crane, Dr. Niles Crane."  
_

She shoved a large white card with pictures of cars in his face. "This is what we have available. Economy only; Chevrolet, Toyota or Ford, take your pick."

Niles stared at the selection of cars, which was completely unacceptable. "But I called ahead and you assured me that you had plenty of luxury cars available!"

The woman merely shrugged. "Sorry, Mister. I guess you didn't get here fast enough."

He reached into his wallet and produced his Gold Club Membership card. "Look, I've been a loyal customer since 1993 and I need a luxury car! These are hardly-."

"That's all we've got left. Now do you want a car or not? There's a line of people waiting behind you."

Appalled, Niles wanted to cause a scene but he didn't dare. Instead he took a deep breath. "Yes, of course I want a car. But-."

"Which one do you want?"

"I want a _luxury_ car." He said, speaking as slowly as possible. "With this Gold Membership and by being a loyal customer, I'm entitled to-."

"Sir, I'm telling you that there are a limited number of cars available! This is a busy time of year and-."

Niles stared at the woman in complete disbelief and he could no longer maintain his cool. "How can it be a busy time of year? The fog is so thick outside that the planes aren't even flying!"

"Sir-."

"I'm not a _Sir_!" he shouted. "I'm a _doctor_! Dr. _Niles _Crane and I am revolted by the treatment I've received since I walked in here! Why, I have a good mind to revoke my membership!"

"Dr. Crane, this is the best I can do for you under the-."

"I need to speak to your-Oh, never mind, just rent me the damn car, okay?"

The woman tried to hide the fact that she was rolling her eyes but Niles definitely noticed. He looked at his watch, horrified to find that nearly two hours had passed since he'd made his initial decision to drive home to his angel. By this point he was so anxious to get home that he didn't care what kind of car he drove…. Within reason.

Reluctantly he handed her his credit card and she began clacking nosily on the keys of her computer, keeping her eyes on the screen. With any luck she was trying to ignore him and that was just fine.

"Driver's license."

At her sharp request he opened his wallet once more and removed his Washington State Driver's license, handing it to the woman. She looked at it, and then up at him for several seconds, making him wonder if she thought he'd given her a fake ID with someone else's picture on it.

It was true that he'd changed quite a bit in the three and a half years since he'd had the photo taken. His hair was darker and there was less of it and his skin wasn't quite as smooth as it used to be. But whenever he began to feel down about growing older and not being the man he once was, Daphne was always there to tell him (and often to show him) that she loved him just the way he was.

He inhaled deeply, willing away the tears that threatened to even dare reach the surface. The need to see Daphne became so great that he began to fidget. How long was this agonizing process going to take? Finally he spoke again. "Miss-."

"My name is Rhonda!" She snapped. "I'm 42 years old! I ain't no _Miss!_"

Taken aback by her abruptness and her boldness in announcing her age to practically everyone in the room, he flinched, realizing that he may have overstepped his bounds.

"I'm sorry. I-."

"Insurance?"

"What? Oh, yes of course. Who doesn't-."

Amazingly, his comment made the woman-Rhonda, smile. "All right Mister… I mean _Doctor_ Crane. Sign here and I'll just run this credit card through to-." Her smile (the one that Niles suspected was fake) disappeared, causing him alarm.

"What's wrong?"

"Do you have another credit card?"

He began digging through his wallet aware of her hand in his face, holding out his credit card. "Um, yes of course, but-." He took his Platinum Visa emblazoned with the black image of the Seattle Skyline from her hand. "What's going on?"

"The card was declined."

He looked up sharply and then down at his hand. That's preposterous! This card has a $4,000 credit limit! Run it through again!"

She merely shrugged. "I can't."

"What do you mean, you _can't_? You did it once, have you already forgotten how to do it?"

There were a few distant chuckles behind him but he was in no mood to acknowledge the people who actually found his comment funny.

"I mean, I can't do it. You need to talk to my manager."

"Well, that's the most helpful thing you've said since I arrived! Get your manager, please! Right away!"

Rhonda picked up a handheld transceiver and rolled her eyes, this time making no secret of the gesture. "Doug?"

_"Yeah?"_ came the tinny, uninterested response; not to mention unprofessional.

"Guy here in a fancy suit wants to talk to you."

_"Tell him I'm on the phone."  
_

She smiled sarcastically at Niles. "He's on the phone."

Niles yanked the handheld transceiver from Rhonda's hand and pressed the button. "Listen, Doug, is it? This is Dr. Niles Crane, one of your Gold Club members and I need to speak to you immediately or I'm going to call the authorities! Do you understand?"

This Doug character emitted a deep sigh that must have been a staple of this pathetic excuse for a car rental company. When there was no response, Niles clinched his fists in anger, but then whirled around at the sound of his name.

"Dr. Crane, I presume?"

"Yes, that's me. I need you to run this credit card through your machine again. Apparently it was declined and that tells me that your machine is faulty! I'm just trying to rent a car to get home to my wife."

"Yeah, about that…You see, we can't run the same credit card through for 24 hours."

"What? Why not?"

"Company policy."

"But that card has a $4,000 credit limit! How could it have possibly been declined? A car rental is only-."  
Doug looked at the pink piece of paper in his hand. "Three hundred and sixty seven dollars and eighty nine cents."

Niles' eyes widened. "Three hundred and- Dear God, that's more than my plane ticket to Seattle would have cost! And I only need the car for one day at most! Your sign says that your rate is-."

"Forty-two fifty per day, that's right sir. But you opted for the rental insurance which is an additional two hundred dollars. And then there are the Washington State taxes."

"But I never agreed-."

"Says here you signed for the optional insurance."

"I most certainly did not! I-." He stopped, horrified when Doug showed him the pink piece of paper, displaying his signature. "But she never asked me-."

Rhonda smirked. "I said _insurance _and you said _of course_."

"That's outrageous! I thought you were asking IF I had insurance! You people are nothing but a bunch of crooks! Now I demand that you rent me a car!"

"I'm sorry Sir, I can't do it. I can't run the card through again."

"How am I supposed to get home?"

Doug shrugged his shoulders. "Do you have another card?"

"Well, of course I have another-." Niles searched through his wallet producing a blue credit card. A MasterCard this time. "This one should work."

Rhonda ran the card through and Niles almost melted to the floor with relief when the tiny receipt began printing from the machine. "Sign here."

Niles took the pen from her, poised to sign, when he looked at the total which read $367.89. "What is this? I thought I told you that I declined the insurance!"

"Oh, well that we can't take off your card. You'll have to settle that with the credit card company."

Niles was livid and it took all the strength within him not to reach over the counter and grab the manager by his cheap burgundy polyester tie. He'd lost his temper before and it promptly ended his marriage to Mel and freed him to be with Daphne. It was the best decision he'd ever made. This, however, was not.

Defeated and wanting so badly to be in Daphne's arms he signed the credit card slip. If $367.89 was what it took to get home to the woman he loved, then it was more than worth it. A pair of keys was slipped into his hand along with the pink receipt.

"Go through those doors and take the elevator down to the first floor parking garage. Your car is parked in Section A, Space 8. Have a nice day."

He mumbled a polite "Thank you" and then made his way to the parking garage, his arms already tired from dragging his luggage around. The sooner he was in a car and on the road the better.


	3. Chapter 3

It had now been over three hours since he'd left the airport terminal and when he glanced out of the window, he saw that the fog was showing no signs of lifting. If anything it had gotten thicker. He knew how dangerous it was to drive in such unsettling weather but he didn't care. He was a safe driver and even if he drove slowly he could still make it home, if only a few hours later than he'd hoped. Daphne would surely understand. And if she didn't, he'd make sure that he made it up to her in tenfold.

With a sudden burst of energy, he hurried to the garage to get his car. And when he reached _Section A Space 8, _he found himself standing in front of his car… a Ford Focus.

A Focus.

When his luggage was securely in the pathetic excuse for a trunk and the rest carefully placed in the backseat, He opened the door and climbed in, but not before taking off his coat and laying it over the seat, which was most likely covered in germs. If only he'd remembered to put a handkerchief in his pocket with which to wipe the seat... As for the car, what they meant by "Focus" as though focusing on something remained a mystery. It definitely wasn't luxury or comfort.

With a deep sigh he shut the door, grateful that he was in Spokane and not in Seattle, save for the fact that if he was in Seattle he'd be in Daphne's arms and not in this retched car. The last thing he needed was to have someone recognize him in the driver's seat of a Ford Focus of all things. The idea was disturbing in itself, but to think that he could be spotted in… an orange Ford Focus was harrowing. He'd never be able to live that humiliation down.

He looked around the car, cringing once again at the interior. Dear God, this couldn't be their idea of _clean_ as they so proudly announced it on their Welcome sign in the car rental office. Niles gathered that Eddie's dog bed had fewer germs.

But time was ticking by. He was losing precious moments with his angel, moments that he would never be able to get back. And it was that thought that propelled him to start the car. Miraculously it started without trouble and he slowly maneuvered his way through the parking garage. At the gate he handed the attendant his paperwork and was asked if he'd checked the condition of the car thoroughly.

Damn… In his haste to get to his wife he hadn't done so. And to the dismay and annoyance of the driver's behind him (judging solely by their loud honking horns and rude hand gestures), it was not a good decision. But he was determined not to be charged anymore outlandish fees for something he simply didn't ask for. He checked the car thoroughly; examining each and every inch, noting precise areas of paint chipping, scratches and dents. And then just for good measure he took pictures of each area with his cell phone.

One could never be too careful. A full forty five minutes later he was finished and he climbed back into his car, where even more honking greeted him. The attended seemed happy to wave him through and soon he was greeted by a thick cloud of fog. It was so thick he could hardly see, but he'd never been more grateful.

"Don't worry Daphne." He said to the car interior. "I'll be home soon."


	4. Chapter 4

He drove slowly and carefully, barely able to see through the thick layer of fog. No wonder the flight had been canceled. He said a silent prayer for his safe journey. He was anxious enough about flying and who knows what might have happened had the plane taken off as scheduled. He shuddered at the idea, quickly dismissing all thoughts and images of Daphne receiving word of his untimely demise. Instantly his foot slowed on the accelerator and he was moving at a speed that should have been illegal in its slowness. At this rate it would take him even longer to reach his angel, but at least he would arrive safely.

Signs began to emerge through the thick fog at random intervals; the faint glow of a neon storefront sign, hazy red-yellow-and green traffic lights, the glow of headlights. They were all insignificant things but to Niles they were a godsend. They reminded him, in some small way that he wasn't alone if only he had driven to Spokane initially instead of flying to his conference, perhaps he would have an easier time recognizing the sights. But in this strange, fog-filled world, nothing seemed familiar.

Luckily the traffic was amazingly light, with only a few cars on the road. At times there was even the slightest break in the fog, allowing him to go a bit faster, but it wasn't difficult to see that his speed was much slower than that of other drivers who passed him at an alarming rate. Dear God, did these people have a death wish? The sight was so unsettling that he slowed the car even further, as terrifying thoughts of car crashes filled his mind. And then the previous thoughts of Daphne being told of his demise…

_"Mrs. Crane, we're sorry to inform you that your husband…."_

No. He refused to do this. He refused to think about the possibilities. He needed something to take his mind off of those possibilities; none of them good. He reached for the knob on the radio and turned, amazed when sound filled the car. It was a small glimmer of hope; the annoying static blaring from the radio. He lowered the volume, searching for an available channel. Even music as disturbing as pop music, as it was oddly called, would suffice.

Suddenly he smiled, remembering that Daphne loved pop music. She was always begging him to change the station from his beloved classical music to a song by Elton John or Billy Joel. Again he smiled, remembering his brother's infamous Hero party; the one that had gone horribly wrong when Niles attempted to emulate his father. It had taken a while for his dad to accept the many apologizes that Niles bestowed upon him, but once he had, their relationship had grown.

And Daphne….

Even in her wild and colorful Elton John costume complete with large glasses, she was incredibly beautiful.

His heart ached with longing for her and he missed her more than ever. If only he could find an Elton John song on this worthless radio, then perhaps he would feel closer to her; if only in his heart.

_If only…_


	5. Chapter 5

He was about to turn the radio off completely when the car began to sputter and jerk foreword. Alarmed, he pushed on the accelerator, willing the car to move faster. But the Ford Focus was now "unfocused" and it sputtered and jerked even more before coming to a complete stop. No amount of pushing on the pedals would make eh car budge and Niles leaned across the seat, sighing.

The car was dead.

He wished… oh, how he wished that he'd taken the basic car repair class more seriously when he and Frasier had embarked on such a crazy adventure. Instead they had acted like children, laughing and passing notes (in French) to each other, resulting in their removal from the class. Forced with having to show that they had succeeded they concocted fake certificates at the print shop. Daphne had been so proud of them, of him, but while Frasier basked in the unearned achievement, Niles simply couldn't take the guilt. And so he'd told her the truth, right as they were about to sit down to a celebratory dinner.  
She was hurt beyond measure, appalled at what he'd done and had stormed out of the room, leaving her meal untouched.

As with his father, an apology to Daphne took some time but she finally forgave him. However, the haunting karma had finally caught up with him. If only he had been honest with her, if only he'd learned how to repair his own car, he wouldn't be here now.

Where exactly was he?

With the utmost of care, he pulled over to the side of the road and climbed out of the car. His cell phone pressed to his ear, he attempted to call for help. But in the thickness of the fog, there was only silence.

He tried again, praying for the Gods to send a sign, preferably in the form of bars on his phone. There must be a cell tower around somewhere in all of this fog…. wherever he was.

Where was he anyway? It seemed like he'd been driving for miles and miles before the car had finally died. Surely he was far from Spokane by now. If he could just get a signal on his phone he could call AAA and have his car towed to the nearest garage. His membership (like the one at the car rental company) was in a good standing and he rarely used his emergency road service. His Mercedes ran impeccably well and on the off chance that something did happen, the dealership was more than happy to help him out in any situation. He doubted that he'd encounter the same type of personalized service from the Ford Motor Company.

A _Focus_…. He still couldn't believe it. How had his luck gone downhill so fast? But then, as if someone above heard him, he saw bars on his phone. It was a miracle.

His fingers trembling, he pushed the tiny buttons on his phone, accessing his GPS. He knew from experience that the first thing AAA Washington would ask for is his location. Surely the GPS would tell him-

He stared at the GPS display in disbelief. This was impossible. Surely the signal was hazy, due to the thick and heavy fog because he couldn't' possibly be in….

Four Lakes, Washington.

He'd never heard of the place before but if the GPS was in fact correct, then he was exactly twelve miles from Spokane. So much for reliable transportation. Or any transportation for that matter.

He slumped against the lifeless car, at a loss for what to do. He needed to call roadside assistance, or in this case, AAA Washington.

But first things first…. There was someone much more important that he needed to call.

His heart raced as he pressed the familiar buttons on the phone. It connected and then rang several times, causing him to fear that he may have to leave a message. But he couldn't say what he needed to say on a recording. He was mere seconds from hanging up when he heard her sweet voice.

_"Hello?"_

"Hello, my love."

_"Niles, thank God! I thought you were going to call me when you got to the hotel! Are you all right? I hope they put you in the best hotel room because I know my man. You'll settle for nothing less than the best. Well, it's the least they can do after inconveniencing you! So at what hotel are you staying, Darling?"_

He swallowed hard, wishing he hadn't called. He couldn't tell her the truth; that he'd wanted to see her so badly that he'd forgone he idea of asking about the hotel room and chosen to rent a car to find her. She'd be livid if she knew that he had driven-or attempted to drive-in such dismal weather. But he certainly didn't want to tell her that he had been forced to drive a Ford Focus that barely made it twelve miles before rendering itself useless. And so he did the one thing he vowed he'd never do again.

He lied.


	6. Chapter 6

He swallowed hard before speaking, almost grateful at that moment that he wasn't speaking to her face to face. "Yes, my love. It's certainly not a four star room but it's tolerable. I have a nice, remotely comfortable bed on which to sleep and a television to watch the local news and adequate lighting with which to read. I'm perfectly fine."

At the sensation of warm liquid beneath his nose, he grabbed his handkerchief and held it to his face. Sure enough… blood stained the cloth almost immediately; a sure sign of lying. It was a trait that he never outgrew. Daphne knew him well enough to know that he would never spend an evening watching the local news; not if he could help it.

He'd much rather sit in a quiet room and read. But his lies had gone too far already.

_"Niles, are you all right?"_ she was asking. _"What's wrong?"  
_

"Mmm? Oh, nothing my love. Why do you ask?"

_"Because you're sniffling and I don't have to be psychics to know that can only mean one thing. Your nose is bleeding! Niles Crane please don't tell me you're lying to me! If you're having an affair just say it!" _

The words stunned him. How could she even think-

"Daphne, I would never-I'm not lying." He lied again, the blood trickling faster now, despite his attempts to stop it. "Everything's fine. I'm sorry about this bump in the road as it were deterring my plans to return to you sooner, but it's fine. Actually it's not fine. If it weren't for this damn fog, I'd be home now, in your arms instead of… here. But we'll be together soon, I promise, my love."

Now it was Daphne who sniffled. _"All right. I still have your dinner waiting for you, but I suppose it will be too late to enjoy it by the time you get home so I'll just pop it back into the fridge and reheat it for you when you get here. Please don't take too long. I love you so much, I-." _She began to cry quietly, breaking his heart yet again.

"Daphne, sweetheart, don't cry. I love you more than words can say my angel. You know that. I'd do anything, anything at all if I could just get home to you right this instant. But you know I'll dream of you tonight, as I always do, and I always will. Now, I should get going and see if I can at least get some work done."

_"All right. I love you, Niles."_

"I love you too, Sweetheart. I'll see you soon."

The call ended and instantly he missed her voice. He had to get home to her; He simply had to. Determined to make things right, he dialed the number for AAA Washington and waited while it rang numerous times. He was put on hold almost immediately with a promise that his call was important and would be answered shortly. Then came the dreaded hold music while his call was bounced around to who knows where before being answered, after twenty long minutes. The caller was friendly enough, as though he took satisfaction in customers who had disasters happen on the road.

_"Thank you for calling AAA Washington. This is Rob, how may I help you?"_

"Yes, Rob, this is Dr. Niles Crane and I am stranded out here in… well, I'm not really sure where I am but the GPS on my phone says Four Lakes Washington."

_"Wow, Four Lakes? That's way out there!"_ Rob said as though Niles had found himself on another planet.

"Yes, I'd never heard of it either, but if you could just send a tow truck out here I'd be very grateful and-"

_"Oh man… You want a tow truck out there? Oh… I don't think that's going to happen."_

Niles was livid. "What? What are you talking about? Are you or are you not the damn AAA company?"

_"We are, but-."_

"But what?"

_"We don't service that area."_  
"But that's preposterous! You're AAA _Washington_! You represent the _whole state_ and Four Lakes is IN Washington State!"

_"All right, I'll see what I can do. What's your cell phone number?"  
_

"Well I would hope that you had it on the screen. You do have Caller ID on your elaborate call center phone system, do you not?"

_"I don't know… I-I mean yeah! Oh cool! Here it is! Wow! Okay, I've got it, Dr. Crane!"_

Niles rolled his eyes at Rob's overzealous enthusiasm for something that should have been common knowledge. "Well I'm glad. Now if you'll just-."

_"I'll have Bruno call you when he's near, okay? Shouldn't be more than a couple of hours."  
_

Niles eyes widened. "A couple of-."

_"Don't worry. He'll find you. If you want I'll have him call you now so you can tell him where you are. It's been a very busy night what with the fog and all. I can't believe people try to drive in this stuff_."

"Tell me about it." Niles sighed. He hung up the phone and climbed into his car. Might as well get some reading done. And then he waited, and waited and waited….

He jumped at the sound of the shrill ring that knocked him out of a deep sleep and a wonderful dream about an angel named Daphne, kissing him and –

"Hello?"

"_Mr. Crane? This is Bruno."_ A gruff voice said.

"I-I'm sorry, who is this?"

_"Bruno. You need a tow truck?"  
_

"What? I never-." He bolted upright remembering that he wasn't at home at all but in his car, stranded in Four Lakes, Washington. "Oh yes, I'm stuck here! Please hurry! I need to get home to my wife! You see I was giving a seminar in Spokane and-."

_"Spokane, huh? Nice place."  
_

Niles could no longer hide his agitation. "Yes, it is. Now could you please-."

_"Yeah, I'll get out there as soon as I can. Shouldn't be long. Hour, hour and a half. But you know, people shouldn't try to drive in da fog. It's brutal."_

"Right." Niles said glumly. "Do you need my location? I'm not sure where I am, but-."

_"I've got it, Twin Lakes, Washington."  
_

"No, that's Four-."

But the connection was lost, having given way to silence, as was his connection to the woman he loved. He blinked away tears, wondering if he'd ever get home.


	7. Chapter 7

Daphne sighed as she hung up the phone. How could she have accused Niles of having an affair? Once, a long time ago, she'd doubted his loyalty, and she swore she would never again question him. But now she had. Niles had loved her for so many years before she ever realized. Daphne knew he would never do anything to hurt her.

But then she turned and saw David sitting in his high chair. He looked at her, wide-eyed. "You miss Daddy, don't you?" she asked as she lifted him out. David wasn't quite talking yet, but his expression told her everything she needed to know. "I know. I miss him too." She softly kissed his forehead. "But he's going to do everything he can to come back to us." David rested his head on her shoulder, and his eyes began to close. "I know you want to stay up and wait for Daddy to come home, but I think it's better if you go to bed now. By the time you wake up, he'll be here, and I'm sure he's anxious to play with you."

As she carried her tired son upstairs, Daphne realized something about her conversation with her husband. He'd never asked about David. Even when he called from the office, he always made sure to ask about his son. For a split second, Daphne reconsidered the idea of him being with someone else. "No, Niles loves me," she whispered to herself. Even if she felt the slightest temptation to give in to these thoughts, she couldn't do it in front of David. Many times, Niles had talked about how easily a child could pick up on a parent's mood.

While she changed David, she forced herself to focus on how much she loved this little boy. No matter how upset she might be over the many chores she needed to do, or an argument with her stubborn father-in-law, the sight of David's smile never failed to warm her heart. Before he was born, Daphne hadn't believed she could love anyone this much.

When David was safely in his crib, Daphne couldn't help watching him sleep. He breathed slowly and evenly. She almost envied him right now, sound asleep without a care in the world. She kissed David's cheek before finally leaving the room. She made sure to grab the baby monitor from the master bedroom and pick up the romance novel she'd been reading. Normally, she liked to read in bed, but with Niles not there, the room seemed lonely. So, tonight, she would read downstairs.

She reached the living room once again and prepared to lose herself in the world of fictional romance. But as she opened the book, she realized this was never going to work. Niles remained on her mind. As she mentally replayed the phone conversation yet again, she realized something. He had been sniffling. Most women would take that as a sign that perhaps he'd caught a cold. But Daphne knew Niles better than that. Any time he was even slightly dishonest, his conscience would cause his nose to bleed.

What was it that he _wasn't_ telling her? Daphne wasn't sure, but her powers were definitely giving her the sense that wherever Niles was right now, he was having some sort of trouble. Her heart ached, wondering what could be happening.

Her imagination went wild. She pictured horrific car accidents, the type that seemed to make the news nearly every evening. What if he'd been so desperate to come home that he'd actually tried to drive in the horrible fog? She could hardly breathe just thinking about it. She looked at the clock, wondering if Martin and Ronee had gone to bed yet. She knew her father-in-law would likely make fun of her, since he'd never believed in her visions. But who better to know if her husband was in danger than a former Seattle police detective?

Realizing she was making herself a wreck, she knew she had no choice. Nervously she dialed Martin's number. If he was angry, so be it. Niles' safety was far more important.

The phone was answered after a couple of rings._ "Daph, don't you know what time it is? Ronee and I were just going to bed."_

Daphne took a deep breath, not wanting to get into an argument right now. "Yes, and I'm sorry to be calling so late. But Niles isn't home from that conference in Spokane. He his flight was canceled thanks to this bloody fog. He told me he got a hotel room, but I don't think he was telling the truth."

Now it was Martin's turn to sigh. _"Daph, Niles is a lot of things, but one thing he's not is a liar. If he said he's in a hotel room, then he is. I'm sure you're worrying over nothing."_

She should've known he'd react that way. "But he was sniffling. I think his nose was bleeding. Martin, what if he's had some kind of accident? I'm making meself sick sitting here worrying."

_"All right,"_ Martin answered realizing how upset she was. _"I know a couple of guys on Highway Patrol. I'll ask them if they've heard anything about accidents out near Spokane. But even if they have, it might not mean anything. Weather like this always leads to a ton of accidents. People don't know how the hell to drive. Mainly because they shouldn't be driving at all."_

Daphne could practically hear his eyes rolling as he spoke. Despite his gruff exterior, Daphne knew Martin cared about family more than anything. The eleven years he'd spent living with Frasier had changed all of them, brought them closer together. They might've had their ups and downs, but Daphne knew there was a bond between the three Crane men that could never be broken.

"Thank you Martin. This means... so much to me. I love you."

_"No problem. Goodnight, Daph. And... Well, you know how Ronee and I feel about you."_

She tried to smile, but it was impossible. And as she hung up the phone, she silently prayed the family wasn't about to face a tragic loss.


	8. Chapter 8

Niles slumped in his seat, content with the thought that he wouldn't get home to Daphne at all tonight. He looked at his phone, thinking of calling her again, or calling his father, but to his dismay, he had used up the remaining bars on the phone. "Just as well," he thought, as he decided to stay in the car he hated all night. Somebody was bound to come along when daylight started to shine. He'd just have to wait.

He thought about Daphne again. She was probably putting David down for the night. A twinge of guilt hit him then, for not even asking about David. No wonder she thought for even a moment that he was having an affair. He shook his head once, to get the thought out. Once he was home, and had Daphne in his arms, everything would be ok. He had to believe that.

Suddenly, his eyes started to get heavy, and just as he was about to close them, he saw a bright light heading towards him. No, it couldn't be possible. It must be just another passenger on this lonely stretch of highway. Or else, he was hallucinating.

But, as it came closer and closer, he noticed something. It wasn't his imagination! Help was on the way. He breathed a sigh of relief and sat up straighter. Maybe he would be home tonight after all. The thought made him giddy. He would never again be foolish enough to drive in such fog.

As the vehicle got closer, he saw that it was a truck from Highway Patrol. He was confused for a minute, since he never called Highway Patrol. But then the thought hit him. It must've been Daphne. Suddenly, he couldn't wait to see her.

He got out of the car as the Highway Patrol came to a stop. A big, muscular man got out and made his way towards Niles.

"What seems to be the problem?" he asked.

"Y-yes. This sorry excuse for a car rental has failed me. I'm stranded."

The man seemed in a hurry to get going. But he said, "I stopped to have it impounded. Good thing that you stayed with your vehicle. I can line my front bumper up with yours to push you to the next service station. My vehicle has towing pads on the front."

"That would be wonderful."

"Do your headlights work? You'll need those in working order for me to push you along. Also, I'll need to see your license, car rental agreement, and proof of insurance."

He retrieved the paperwork from the Focus and turned on his headlights in the process.

"Ok. Your headlights work fine." He used his flashlight to check Niles' paperwork. "How long have you been out here?"

"Uh, well, I'm not sure exactly." He checked his watch. "A little over an hour, perhaps."

"You drove from Spokane?"

"Why, yes." Then Niles realized he got the information from his paperwork.

"Where you headed?"

"Seattle."

"The garage is closed for the night. After a good night's rest, you can see about getting it fixed."

Niles wasn't sure if he wanted to drive another mile in this wretched car. He needed other transportation if he'd make it home to Daphne tonight. "Is there another car rental place in town?"

"Not open until late morning."

Niles didn't need a garage and he didn't need a hotel. He just needed a phone or place to charge his phone. He plan was to call the rental company and inform them on where they could pick up their car. He wasn't going to rest until he found other means to get back to Seattle to the two most beautiful people he loved in the entire world.


	9. Chapter 9

The highway patrol truck pulled up to The Saddle Inn Tavern in downtown Four Lakes, Washington with Niles riding in the back seat. He was completely and utterly appalled that the policeman made him ride in the back. It didn't matter that riding up in the front seat as a passenger was against his precinct's policy, Niles still felt like an obtained fugitive as they pulled up to the establishment. Even in front of the types of locals who would stay or dine at an establishment called "The Saddle Inn". Niles could feel all the eyes upon him from the locals as the officer stepped out of his truck and opened the back door to let him out.

Niles shook his hand. "Thank you so much officer. I really appreciate your hospitality."

"Hospitality?" The man tipped his hat back. "Hell boy, you're not from anywhere around here, are you?"

"No sir." He shook the officer's hand.

The patrolman retrieved Niles' travel bag and briefcase from the back of the truck. "Would you like me to give you a hand with your bags?"

"No, thank you. I can manage from here." Niles surely didn't need to be escorted inside by the law. They had gathered enough attention already.

"Alright. Well, good luck to you. You have that card that I gave you with the garage's phone number on it?"

"Yes-sir, thank you."

With that, the officer tipped his hat to him and climbed into his patrol truck and drove off. Niles gathered his things and headed for the front door of "The Saddle". Such a fitting name, he thought. Then he felt a little light. Then it washed all over him like a bucket of cold water. The roses that he had bought Daphne… he had left them in the rental. Oh well, he would have to go back to retrieve them. He and that bouquet of flowers had been through a lot together and he wasn't giving up on them. Why, they had traveled an entire twelve miles together.

He felt the people standing outside staring at him as he made his way through the front door. He went up to the front counter.

"You checkin' in?" the lady behind the counter asked.

"Actually, no. I've had some car trouble, but by the reading of my watch and the sounds of my stomach, somewhere to dine would be wonderful. May I appeal to your kindness and ask to have you hold my bags while I dine?"

"No problem sir. You're going to like it here. We offer FREE popcorn every day and we've an infamous for our BBW beer _sammich_."

"An 'infamous _sammich_'?" Niles asked almost busting into laughter. "Wonderful. Oh, and do you perhaps know of a location where I might be able to recharge my phone?"

"I can do that for you here."

"Fantastic." He went into his luggage and retrieved his cell phone charger cord and gave it to her as well as his cell phone. "Thank you…" He read her name tag. "Robin."

She directed him over to the tavern part. He was handed a menu that actually read:

_Infamous BBQ Beef Sammich _

_12" Pizzas _

_Hot Wings _

_German Sausage Dawgs _

_Hamburger Sliders _

_Hotdog Sliders _

_FREE Popcorn Everyday!_

He actually started laughing to himself. Didn't someone own a dictionary in the area? They didn't know the definition of 'infamous'. Perhaps he should order a German Sausage 'Dawg'.

When the waitress returned to take his order, he asked, "May I order off of the menu? I would like a steak… prime cut, if you have it, and a hot tea with a freshly cut wedge of lemon. Now, when preparing the steak…"

"Just what's on the menu fella."

He glanced over the menu again and looked her back in the eyes. "I don't do pizza."

"So what'll you have then?"

He studied the menu as if there was something new to read. "I prefer not to eat something called a _'Sammich'_. I'll have the BBQ Beef without the '_Sammich'_ and could I get a fork with that?"

"That comes with potato chips, coleslaw, or potato salad."

He thought long and hard. He may need an array of red wines to wash this down, but he needed a clear head if he was going to return to his trek to Daphne. "I'll chance the coleslaw."

"And to drink?"

"You don't have hot tea?"

"We have alcohol, Coke, coffee and water. I can check on the tea, but if we do have tea, my money's on tea bags that have been sitting in the back of the cupboard for at least a year."

"Any chance that the water is bottled?"

The lady just stared at him.

"I'll have the coffee. A double-cappuccino…"

She walked away before he could finish.

He sat there thinking of his next several moves would be to get Daphne's flowers back and to get down the road. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the car rental keys. He chose not to put them in the garage key night drop box, but to hold onto them. This way he could call the rental company and tell them where to pick up their car. Of course, they would ask him to mail the key to them, but at least he had it to be able to open the car in order to retrieve Daphne's flowers. He placed them safely back into his pocket and then retrieved his wallet. He opened it and pulled out a photo of the three of them together. Daphne was holding David and he was holding Daphne. He started to choke up. He had been through so much today and it would be so great to see them again. He couldn't wait to call them once his phone had recharged.

"That's a beautiful gal," an alcohol soaked voice trailed over his right shoulder, startling him.

Niles jumped. "Oh… thank you." He glanced over to see an older man, with scruff across his jaw, standing much too close to him.

"You're a jumpy little fella, aren't ya?"

"Yes, quite… under these circumstances."

"Beautiful family. Did they leave ya 'cuz of your drinkin' problem?" He stared at Niles with bloodshot eyes.

"No, they're at home waiting for me."

"Oh my God. You shouldn't be here drinkin' if they're waitin' for ya tat home."

"No… not at all." _Person, go away_... Niles thought. Perhaps if he indulged him slightly, he would leave Niles in order to find the closest glass of scotch. "My car broke down and I'm trying to get back to them." he continued.

"Maybe I can help. Where you headed?"

"Seattle." How in the world could you help? There's no way you can drive in your condition. By the looks of things, the most you could offer is to give up some of your blood to use as fuel.

"Oh my God, that's far away." The man emphasized it as if it were on the other side of the world.

"Yes, quite." Niles leaned away from him to keep the fumes of his breath from burning his eyes.

"I'm Carl, by-the-by-the-by." He laughed.

"Niles," he shook his hand hoping that was it and that the man would return to the rock he crawled out from. "Niles Crane."

"That's a nice suit. What, do ya got money or what?"

"No, not really." He checked his watch. How much longer could this man possibly carry this conversation?

The waitress brought Niles' order. "Carl, please leave this poor man alone. Let him enjoy his meal in peace."

Niles smiled. Not only did he appreciate her fending for him, but he thought that it was funny how she thought that he could possibly "enjoy" this meal.

Carl retreated to his side of the room, while Niles tried to down some of his meal. He picked over it mostly. The coffee was presented just the way his father liked it… black. Sure, there was lukewarm cream offered with it, put it was just untouchable as the meal. He was hungry, but not that hungry. He moved the food around on his plate to make it look like he had made a better attempt at eating it. How dare they put the coleslaw next to the meat to let the juices drain over to each other.

When the waitress returned, Niles asked for the check and if she would be so kind as to call a taxi cab for him. He needed to get back to the garage for those flowers.

"I can make the call, but Sanders is plenty busy. He won't show for an hour or so."

"An hour?!" Niles was running so late already. He couldn't wait that long.

Carl perked up. "My daughter's on her way to pick me up. Do ya need a ride?"

"No, that won't be necessary." He regretted saying that right when the words left his lips. His options were very few and the possibilities of getting home before midnight were looking mighty grim. He paid his check and went up to the front desk. He read the lady's name tag at the front counter. "Excuse me Amanda. Where did Robin go?"

"Her shift ended. How can I help you?"

"She was holding my luggage and charging my phone for me."

She looked behind the counter. "Oh yes, here it is." She handed him his briefcase.

"Is there another bag? My luggage bag?"

She looked. "No, I'm sorry."

Niles was getting more irritated. "Please look again. Where is Robin?"

"I don't see anything here."

"Can you call her? Can I speak to your manager?"

"Robin is my manager." Amanda picked up the phone and tried to reach Robin at home. She hung up. "I'm sorry sir, but she's not answering. Maybe she's not home yet."

"This is unacceptable," he started to raise his voice. "I left my luggage with her while I ate."

"I will keep trying to reach her."

"Well, I can't wait much longer."

"Do you have a cell phone, that I can call you once I reach her?"

"She was charging my phone," Niles snapped.

Amanda looked around. "I don't see it." She started looking through the drawers behind the counter and then held up a familiar sight. "Is this it?"

"Yes, that's it."

"It was placed in lost in found."

"Wonderful," his voice reeked with sarcasm. "Now, where is my power cord?"

She shrugged her shoulders.

Niles sighed. This disaster was just getting better and better.


	10. Chapter 10

Niles stepped out into the cold and felt the chill of the night air outside of The Saddle Inn Tavern. He just couldn't believe his luck. He had left his number with the lady at the counter, but he was so angry with them losing his luggage and cell phone power cord. He flipped open his phone. He barely had any power.

His breath hit the air and hung in the air like the surrounding fog. The chilly air stung his eyes and lungs. At the very least, he may be able to reach Daphne. He called.

_"Hello?"_

"Daphne, oh my God. It's so good to hear your voice. I love you so very much."

_"Hello? Is anybody there?"_

Oh no... she couldn't hear him at all. But he could hear her. He shouldn't have been surprised, but he wanted so much for at least one thing to work out for him. Just one. Was that too much to ask? To be able to to talk to his wife for one entire minute? He tried again, praying that somewhere, somehow, the Gods would hear his plea and answer his prayer.

"Daphne, can you hear me? I'm sorry the connection is so bad, but I just wanted to..."

His phone beeped and then went dead. Oh, he felt so much like throwing it across the parking lot, but he didn't want to litter. Perhaps he could give it back to Amanda and it might somehow be reunited with its power cord.

He snapped his cell phone closed. He took the battery out and rubbed it against his suit sleeve in a last ditch effort for a static charge to be enough to make just one call. Yet, when he replaced the battery, there wasn't.

He tucked his phone back into his jacket. It was a never ending evening and it just kept getting darker and darker.

"Hi, my name's Danni," an extremely attractive blonde made her way across the parking lot toward him.

"Hi, I'm happily married." He shook his head. "I'm sorry. My name is Niles."

"My father over there…" She gestured to Carl who was at the tavern's entrance trying to keep from leaning in his drunken state. "…said that you may be in need of a ride."

"Oh… well, I would hate to put you out."

"Well, where are you headed? Maybe we're headed in that direction."

"I'm heading for Seattle, but I need to get to the garage where I left my car. It's not far from here."

She smiled broadly and looked back at her father. "I'll be happy to drive you."

"Oh, that would be so appreciated," he said with a sigh of relief.

"I'm parked over here."

"Thank you." He picked up his briefcase and walked with her to her father, then the three of them went to her car.

They drove straight to CC's Garage. Carl sat up from the back seat. "What are we doing here?"

"We're taking your friend to his car," Danni said.

"Nicholas, your car is here?"

"His name is Niles, Dad."

"Niles, your car is here?"

"Yes, unfortunately." It was a small, one-car bay garage.

"Well, I don't want to work on it now," Carl slurred.

Niles shot Carl a look. "You work here?"

"Owner and operator," Danni said.

It's a good thing Niles decided to search for other means of transportation. For Carl to work on his car, probably meant that he would be opening the store a little late, considering his current condition. "Well, if you don't mind, I'll be contacting the car rental to come pick it up here, if it's alright to leave it here for them."

"Hell, that's no problem," Carl said. "You call 'em yet?"

"Unfortunately, my cell phone battery is dead."

He pulled the garage keys from his pocket and handed them to his daughter. "Danni, take him inside and let him use the phone to call that stupid car rental company."

"Sure Pop."

Niles grinned. "Thank you."

He kept the call short. He didn't want to soak up any more time in meaningless arguments. "How soon can you get a rental replacement out to me."

"Sir, that's not going to be easy, we just don't have any drivers available and all of our remaining cars have been booked."

"I will mail you the keys." Although Niles hated to end calls without the proper closure, he felt that this time, the position the car rental put him in, qualified for a sound disconnecting.

"I could drive you back to Spokane, if that would help," Danni offered. She could tell that Niles was a safe bet by his mannerisms and the way he dressed.

"Please, I've had quite enough of Spokane for a while and the thought of having to back track leave a worst taste in my mouth than that BBQ I ate at the tavern."

"Well, I have to be in Kennewick in the morning. I could leave now and stay with my cousin for the night down there."

"I've heard of Kennewick, but I wouldn't want to put you out."

"Well, I hate to leave a gentleman stranded. I could take you to Kennewick if you want to catch the Am Track. I know it's a bit more south than you care to go. Or I could drop you off at Ritzville on the way. It's still on Interstate 90 and you would be 50 miles closer to Seattle."

"Oh, that would be wonderful. I accept your offer on one condition."

"What's that?" she asked.

"That you allow me to pay for gas."

"You're on, but I have a condition too."

"What's that?"

"As long as you don't mind having to stop along the way if my father needs to throw up." She laughed and when Niles realized she was kidding, he laughed too.

Outside, Niles opened the Ford Focus for the very last time. There, in the back seat, lay the bouquet of flowers. _Oh Daphne,_ he thought. They were starting to look like he felt: like he had been through a hundred miles of bad road. He cradled them in his arms. Poor things. He knew somewhere along the way, he was going to have to find them some water.

"She's a very lucky woman," Danni said.

"Thank you."

Wait a minute? Was she referring to the flowers or being married to him? Was Danni flirting with him? Overall, he decided it didn't really matter. He would never flirt back. The bond between Daphne and Niles was more safe than a new born in its mother's arms. He would spend his dying breath proving it, if he had to.

Niles leaned against the locked passenger door as Danni drove and Carl slept it off in the back seat. "Would you mind if I slept a little?" he asked.

"Not at all," Danni smiled his way.

"If you're feeling tired, I'll be happy to engage you in conversation."

"I'm fine Niles. Why don't you rest?"

When he leaned against the door, he was out instantly. He had been through a lot and it showed. He woke up for a moment when they were passing an exit. Niles could make it out through the light fog. It was a town called _Fishtrap._ Niles smiled as he leaned against the door again. _Fishtrap_; That was one town he wouldn't have to become familiar with.


	11. Chapter 11

The car jerked to a stop, jolting Niles out of a sound sleep. Despite the constant motion, the bumps and jerks, it was the most restful sleep he'd gotten since the whole disastrous, much-too-long journey from Spokane had begun. The dream he'd been having, however, was lost forever and although it mirrored real life (He and Daphne were kissing passionately; hidden away in secluded cave, listening to the sounds of the Caribbean waves), it was nothing like real life. Kissing Daphne was better than any dream. But that dream was all that he had. And he feared that it was all he was left with.

Once again lost in his own little world, he was barely aware that someone was speaking to him.

"HEY!"

Niles winced at the elbow in his ribs and he turned to find Carl glaring at him. "She's talkin' to you!" He shouted.

"What? Oh…" Niles clutched his tender ribs and returned his attention to Danni. "I-I'm sorry. I-." He paused, looking through the window. "W-why are we stopped?"

"We're here!" Danni announced.

"Where's _here?_"

"Ritzville."

Niles blinked. "Where?"

"_Ritzville_, remember? I was going to drop you off in Kennewick, but I thought that you'd rather be closer to Seattle. But if you want I can turn around and-."

"No! Absolutely not! You've been more than generous and I can't thank you enough. You've done more for me than anyone."

In the rear-view mirror, he saw her smile and he smiled back. But his smile soon disappeared and his heartache returned. Sure, he was in Ritzville, which meant that he was closer to Seattle than he'd been when he was in Spokane, but it also meant that he was much too far away from Daphne.

"Well…" Danni said after a long silence. "I guess we should get your things."

"Yes, I guess you're right." Niles agreed. He climbed out of the car and attempted to grab his luggage. But then he remembered. He had no luggage, nor did he have a power cord for his deader-than-dead cell phone. He had his briefcase but that was of little consolation. What good were notes on a lecture on psychology going to do him in Ritzville?

Anger threatened to consume him but he managed to control it. He didn't want to lose his temper in front of Danni and Carl, even if Carl was completely inebriated. It was obvious that Carl didn't feel too well, and his face was surprisingly green. It was a sight that Niles knew all too well and he immediately began to panic. It could only mean one thing.

_Oh God…  
_

"Dad!"

Niles jumped back, trying to avoid the mess of Carl's vomit, and his stomach churned at not only the sight but the sickening smell. Quickly he turned and averted his eyes, doing his best to hold his breath. He kept his gaze away as Dannie went to the car and retrieved a box of wet wipes, which, Niles knew, she most likely used to clean the mess from her father's face.

"Dad, I told you not to drink so much!" she scolded. "It always makes you sick!" And then she turned around. "I'm sorry, Niles. He didn't get anything on you, did he?"

"Um… No." Niles said. At that moment he was extremely grateful that his clothing was still relatively clean. As much of a nightmare as this journey had been, it would have been even worse without shoes or (dare he think it) pants. Any soiled item of clothing as a result of Carl's drinking would have had to be discarded and burned immediately.

"Well, that's good." Danni was saying now. "I would hate-"

Once more Niles saw Carl's face turn green and he quickly stood behind the man, gently guiding him to a cluster of bushes where he could get sick without risk of making another mess. While Niles kept his hands on Carl's shoulders, Niles tilted his face toward the night sky. The night was filled with stars and he wondered if the same stars were twinkling over Seattle. The thought that he and Daphne could be looking at the very same stars brought tears to his eyes.

"Niles?"

Startled, he turned around to find himself face to face with Danni. "Oh…"

Her expression was one of concern. "He's all right, isn't he?"

"Who?"

She smiled. "My father. I'm sorry his-."

"No, it's fine." Niles said. "I mean, what else is there to do in a place called _Saddle Inn Tavern_ besides get completely drunk?"

Danni laughed. "Well, you're right about that. Not much else to do in Four Lakes, Washington."

Niles nodded. He couldn't argue with that logic. "You're right."

Another silence followed.

"Well…" Danni finally said.

"Right…" Niles said.

"It's late, Niles. Are you going to be okay?"

"Oh yeah, I'll be fine." Niles replied. "I'll just…"

She reached into her purse and removed a notepad and pen, scribbling something on it. "Here."

He took the piece of paper from her and glanced at it curiously.

"My phone number." She explained. "In case you need anything else."

"No, I couldn't possibly." He said firmly. "You've done more than enough."

She took the piece of paper from him and the pen and wrote on the paper again before handing it back to him. "Here. My address and my email, just to make it complete."

"Right, of course." Niles said. "May I see that notepad?"

She seemed surprised by his request, but she handed him the notepad and pen. Upon it he scribbled his name, address and phone number, along with his email address before handing it back to her.

"What's this?"

"My information." She replied. "It's only fair, right?"

"Right… Well, I guess we should be going."

"Of course. You… _Oh wait_!" Niles said a bit too enthusiastically.

"What's wrong?"

"Just my head." He said, noting that he'd confused her even more. He reached into his pocket for his wallet and opened it.

Now she looked really confused. "Niles, what are you talking about?"

He looked into the leather flap of his wallet, surprised to find a crisp one-hundred-dollar bill, stashed behind the leather flap. Quickly he pulled it out and handed it to her. And somehow it made him feel better.


	12. Chapter 12

Now it was Danni who showed even more confusion than Niles had. "What's this?"

Niles smiled. "Gas money."

Her eyes widened. "Niles this is too much! I can't possibly-."

But he gently pushed her hand away. "Please, take it. I insist. It was the least I can do."

"But-."

"I insist." He repeated. "And I'm sorry about before. About assuming-."

"It's all right." She said. And another silence fell between them. But this one felt different. And her expression…. It was one that was familiar and his chest tightened a little.

"Niles, I probably shouldn't be saying this, but-."

"What?"

"You're very handsome. Your wife is a very lucky woman."

He knew that Danni wasn't flirting with him this time, but he felt his cheeks flush and a familiar shyness settled inside of him. "Well… thank you. I miss her terribly and I can't wait to see her."

Danni's arms went around him, surprising him with the hug. But he found that he didn't mind.

"I hope you get to see her soon, Niles. I really do." She said sincerely.

His chest began to ache at the thought of his beautiful wife. He missed her so much that he wanted to cry. But he refused to do it. He couldn't let Dannie and Carl see how vulnerable he'd suddenly become. Instead he forced a smile.

"Well, I should probably let you get back to your life. Carl isn't looking very well."

Danni laughed. "You're right about that, Niles." She turned to her father who was leaning against the trunk of a tree, looking sicker than ever. "I'd better get him home. Come on, Dad!"

"Oh, wait a minute." Niles said. He walked over to where Carl was still leaning against the tree and extended his hand. "It was… an adventure." Niles said carefully. "Thank you so much."

Carl looked at him in all seriousness and raised his eyebrows. "For what?"

Niles and Danni exchanged knowing smile and then he returned his attention to Carl, who still had the baffled look on his face. "Just thanks."

Niles watched as Danni escorted her father back into the car and buckled him in. Then she closed the door and turned to Niles. "Are you going to be okay?"

Niles swallowed hard. "Yeah, I'll be fine."

The words were a lie, for he'd never be okay, not until he was in Daphne's loving arms. But amazingly his dreaded nosebleed did not make an appearance.

"Okay, well… if you need anything-." She extended her hand for a handshake but he impulsively hugged her a second time. And it was with a bit of sadness that he watched her get into her car and drive away.

Suddenly he was alone once more.


	13. Chapter 13

Even in the dim of night, Niles could tell that there was absolutely nothing spectacular about the city of Ritzville. How it got its name was a complete mystery. It certainly wasn't _ritzy_ by any means and in fact, even from his far-away view, he was quite sure that it was rather dull in comparison to Seattle.

Or even Reno, Nevada.

His chest ached at the thought out that gaudy, flashy city; the one that he'd never in his life had any desire to visit, but it was in fact the city that he and Daphne had flown to when they'd eloped. She'd come home to him, after they'd had a terrible argument over Niles' attempt to reunite her estranged parents, she'd begged him to marry her at that moment.

She didn't need to beg, for he'd wanted to marry her for longer than he could remember. But hearing those words from her; the confirmation that really and truly proved that she loved him deeply, was one of the most wonderful moments of his entire life. And that moment was followed by many more.

Tears stung his eyes and he lightly pinched the bridge of his nose in a converted effort to will the tears away. But surprisingly the often frowned-upon act of crying lessened his pain. Of course the pain of missing his wife and son was still there but it lessened enough to get him moving again. And then he moved even more quickly. The faster he found suitable transportation, the faster he'd be in Daphne's loving arms.

He walked at a brisk pace and as he came closer to the city center, he was amazed at the size. The entire downtown area could have fit inside the Elliott Bay Towers. When he walked further, he could just make out a brick building that vaguely resembled a train or bus station. And suddenly he felt a small glimmer of hope. The rest of the walk should only be about a mile, mile and a half at best and it was a straight path that would lead directly into downtown. If he increased his pace to an impatient stroll, he might find his luck changing.

But he soon found that it wasn't as easy as it seemed. The superficially small town of Ritzville, Washington seemed to go on forever and a day, just like his journey back to his wife and son. Oh, how he missed them so.


	14. Chapter 14

By the time he'd reached the center of town, Niles was exhausted. His feet, arms and legs were aching beyond belief, but he was determined to spend as little time as possible in the town of Ritzville, Washington.

After what felt like hours, the brick building came into view and the bold sign was like an answered prayer.

_RITZVILLE BUS DEPOT_

Ironically the sight made him cringe. Just the thought of public transportation was disturbing. He was all but certain that busses weren't regularly subjected to a thorough sterilization process to rid them of germs at each stop. Oh, how he wished they were. And they would be, if he had anything at all to say about the matter. But now he tried not to think about it. Instead he focused on the fact that a bus would get him closer to where he longed to be; home. Sitting on a filthy, germy bus was a chance that he was more than willing to take.

Despite his aching body, he made his way into the train station. As he feared the place was filthy and he was sure that bugs were crawling everywhere. But he took a deep breath and walked up to the counter. The woman behind that counter barely acknowledge his existence as he approached, bringing a rather disturbing memory of his experience at the car rental company in Spokane. However, he saw yet another ray of light when the woman smiled.

"Hi, what can I do for ya?" Her deep southern accent caught him off-guard and he paused before speaking.

"Oh… I don't know... I-."

"Lemme guess. You're tryin' to get somewhere."

"Of course, but-."

"Where ya' headed?"

"Seattle." The words was direct and clear, not tentative like his previous attempt at speaking. And he wondered how he could possibly feel any sort of unease around this woman.

"See-attle, huh?"

"That's right." He said, more confidently, this time. "You see, I've had a long journey already and I miss my wife and son terribly, so-."

"Two-twenty."

He blinked, thoroughly confused. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Two-twenty." She repeated.

He looked at his watch, aghast when he saw the time. It was much later than he expected it to be. But two-twenty in the morning was still hours away and he wasn't about to spend his time in such an atrocious place. Who knew what kind of people lurked about in the Ritzville Bus Depot? Certainty not the type of people that neither he nor Frasier would associate with.

"Um, don't you have anything sooner? I really need to get home." Niles pleaded, as politely as possible.

But to his horror, the woman began to laugh... loudly.

"Why is that funny?" he demanded. "I certainly don't find anything humorous about a man wanting to go home to his wife and child!"

"No, honey. Two twenty ain't the time it leaves. Two twenty is the _price_!"

Niles' jaw dropped. "Two hundred and twenty _dollars_?"

The woman nodded. "Yep."

"Why… that's outrageous! Who in their right mind would pay two hundred and twenty dollars to ride a filthy bus to-."

"Hey!" The woman shouted. "Them buses ain't filthy!" The word was accompanied by her fingers making imaginary quotation marks in the air. "And plenty of people would pay that price. Ain't no other way to get to Sea-attle from here."

"But there has to be!" Niles pleaded. "There must!"

She shook her head. "Nope. But leaves soon and it takes seven hours, so I'd say you'd be in Sea-attle, oh… I don't know, about…." She turned and glanced at the cheap wall clock that hung behind her on the wall.

But Niles refused to let her finish. "_Seven hours_? You must be ludicrous if you think I'm going to spend _seven hours_ on a bus!"

"Look, if you're gonna stand there and call me names, I'll have William over there throw you out on the street, you got that?"

Niles' flinched. "Wh-who's William?"

She motioned to a burly man sitting in the corner wearing what resembled a policeman's uniform. Just a glimpse of him made Niles shudder.

"I wasn't calling you na- Look, I apologize if I offended you in any way, but I really need to get home quickly. So do you have any other buses that leave earlier? Cheaper buses? Ones that won't take seven hours to get home?"

"Nope. Not to Seattle."

"All right fine. But anywhere closer-."

"We-ll, let's see here." She said, drawing the words out as she looked on her computer screen. "Bus for Ephrata leaves in the morning."

"Um, where?"

"Ephrata." She repeated.

"I'm sorry; I don't…"

She sighed irritably. "Ephrata. Where are you from anyway? Ain't you ever heard of it? Home of Soap Lake?"

He hadn't. And frankly he didn't want to know.


	15. Chapter 15

"Surely you've heard of _Soap Lake_!" The annoying woman went on.

"No, I can't say that I have." Niles replied, seeing no reason whatsoever to hide his sarcasm. By this point he was irritated beyond belief. "I'm pretty sure I'd remember a name like that."

"It's a very popular place." She continued. "The kids love it."

"Well, I'm glad, but I'm not here for a recreational visit." He snapped. "I'm just trying to get-."

"It's said to have healing powers. You should try it. Stay a while."

"Look, have you been listening to a word I've said in the last five minutes? I don't give a flying leap off of the Space Needle, nor do I have any desire to visit some lake made of _soap_! Who would put _soap_ in a lake anyway? That's just utterly preposterous! I'm just trying to get home to my loving wife and my sweet son! I haven't seen them in what feels like days and I really-."

He stooped when she threw her head back once more and laughed, even harder than the previous time, making his blood boil.

"What's so damn funny?"

"You!" She laughed.

"May I ask why? Because like I said before, I certainly don't see what's funny about a man missing his wife and child. In fact, it's terribly sad, when I think about it, and I don't want to think about it because it…" His voice caught, dangerously close to breaking and he paused, trying to regain his composure. "It means that I'll just miss them more!"

But she continued to laugh, to his horror, even louder. "You really thought-."

"I'M JUST TRYING TO GET HOME!" he screamed, startling not only her but himself and the few people around him with the outburst. "WHY CAN'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT? JUST SELL ME THE DAMN BUS TICKET TO EPHRATA!"

She glared at him. "You need to calm down!"

"NO I WILL _NOT_ CALM DOWN!" He yelled, knowing that he was treating on thin ice as his gaze caught William's icy stare. Any moment now he was liable to find himself out on the street; or worse. He certainly didn't mind defending himself. In fact, it was his God-given right, but Daphne had been waiting for him long enough. It wasn't fair to her to wait any longer. He had to get home. And he'd do it no matter what it took.

Immediately Niles calmed.

"Here's your ticket." She said, pushing an envelope through the slot below the window. That'll be fifty-two fifty plus tax."

"Well…" Niles said, pulling out his credit card. "That's more like it." he said more calmly this time. "How long does it take and more importantly, when does it leave?"

"One hour and six minutes. Leaves at nine-forty five."

Niles froze, daring to look at her. "Please tell me that's-."

"In the morning." The woman said with a smile.

Niles breathed a sigh of relief. "Really?"

"Yes, really. Now have a good rest of the night, sir. And I hope you get back to your family soon."

He suddenly had a newfound respect for the woman and he returned her smile. "Thank you. Same to you."

He was still smiling as he put the ticket carefully in his jacket pocket and patted his chest. He was going to guard it like gold.


	16. Chapter 16

Niles looked at his watch. A nine-forty five bus meant that he'd be stuck at the Ritzville Bus Depot for the rest of the night. The thought made his skin crawl. Dear God, what was he supposed to do in a seedy bus station all night? At that moment he yawned, and he suddenly realized how tired he was. Fortunately for the moment the station was relatively empty and he was able to find a vacant row of seats near the back.

He could tell just by looking at the hard, light blue plastic seats that he wasn't going to get any sleep at all, and he wondered why he'd even considered trying. But he was beyond exhausted and he knew that he wouldn't be able to walk any further, even if he tried. At this point, he'd settle for a restless sleep. At least it was something and it would have to suffice.

He carried his briefcase and the poor, mangled bouquet of roses to the row of empty blue chairs and carefully sat his few belongings down in the last seat. Just being able to sit down after such a long walk was a welcome relief. He looked around at the nearly-deserted bus depot and his eyes fell longingly upon an attractive woman with short dark hair, red-rimmed glasses and a sleek figure. She was wearing a short green and white striped dress. But it wasn't her appearance that kept his gaze.

She undoubtedly was attractive but he certainly wasn't attracted to her by any means. He wouldn't dream of looking at another woman when he had Daphne. No other woman could possibly compare. And yet he continued to stare at her. She was quite lovely with ruby red lips and from what he could tell hazel eyes that could have matched her dress. Yet he wasn't staring solely at her appearance. He was staring quite longingly at the purple phone in her hand. It had a cord attached to it, the end of which was plugged into the wall.

Hope came yet again.

A charger… Dare he think that the charger would fit his brand of cell phone?

He reached into his pocket and retried his useless phone. Sure enough it was deader than a doornail. Despite his ridiculous attempts to hold the power button down with his index finger and then resorting to removing the back of the phone to take the battery out so that he could rub it against his pant leg, it was of no use. No matter what he tried, it would not turn on.

His eyes moved back to the woman in the green and white striped dress. Her phone was beside her now, balanced on her large floral suitcase, as she restored life to it. The phone rang, emitting a surprisingly accustomed tune. It was one he'd heard at the opera many times before. Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. The familiarity of the music made him smile.

She picked it up, speaking inaudibly into the tiny mouthpiece. And then she threw her head back and laughed. He couldn't hear her laughter but he found himself wondering what that laughter sounded like. Was it sweet and melodious like Daphne's? Loud and obnoxious like his father's long-ago girlfriend, Sherry? Or warm and inviting like his mother's? He blinked and shook his head, realizing at once that he was being completely ridiculous. What did he care what her laugh sounded like? The woman was a complete and total stranger to him. But then he had a thought; a ludicrous but perhaps realistic thought. He looked down at his phone, which lay lifeless in his hand. If he could just charge it, even for a moment, he could call home; let Daphne know that he loved her and would be there soon.

Before he realized what was happening, he was on his feet, moving effortlessly across the tiled floor. As he neared the woman, he rehearsed in his head what he would say.

_"Excuse me, ma'am…"_

No. That was wrong. She was much too young to be addressed as _ma'am._

He tried again.

_"Excuse me, Miss…"  
_

No, that wasn't right either.

And again.

"_Excuse me. I couldn't help noticing that you're charging your phone. May I trouble you for the use of your phone cord when you're finished? I'll even pay you for any inconvenience that it may cause."_

Dear God, he sounded like Ferguson, Frasier's butler; the man he owed a great deal of gratitude to for his role in Niles' sudden burst of confidence. He was convinced that if it weren't for Ferguson, he might still be married to Mel. The thought made him physically ill, but he willed the queasiness away.

Still, what he'd come up with sounded pretty good, if he did say so himself. It was perfect. It could work.

It had to work.


	17. Chapter 17

He was so close now that he could see her clearly. She was even more attractive than he'd first realized. And in a strange way it made the task of asking her if he could borrow her charger seem a bit easier. Still, his hand trembled as he reached out, his fingertips brushing the sleeve of her dress. The fabric was silky, something else he hadn't anticipated. She whirled around, her hazel eyes meeting his.

"Yes?"

His hand moved to his side. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if I could ask a favor."

Her eyebrows rose and she took a few cautious steeps back. Smart woman. She could certainly hold her own in a place like this and the idea was strangely comforting.

He held up his hand. "Look, I don't mean to frighten you and I don't mean any harm. I just wanted to know if I could borrow your phone charger for a little while. When you're finished with it of course. I'd even pay you for your time."

She nodded tentatively and then smiled. "Sure. My phone is almost-."

"Hey babe!"

A muscular, tattooed man in a black sleeveless shirt appeared beside the woman, causing Niles' a moment of alarm. It took him a second to realize that she knew the man. He was not at all the type he envisioned for this attractive woman. His black shirt was emblazoned with a vibrantly colored and very disturbing dragon design that somehow complimented his ripped black jeans and a black sleeveless leather vest. On his feet were black combat boots.

When he grabbed the woman she gasped in surprise, barely having a moment to react when the man's lips came crashing down onto the woman's mouth. TO Niles' horror, the very odd couple shared a scorching and dare he say, very inappropriate kiss. It was enough to make him look away. But when he returned his gaze, he saw that the kiss continued. So much for the hope of his phone returning to life any time soon. Clearly the kiss had caused all memory of the woman's promise to vanish.

"Let's go babe." The man said in a voice that was surprisingly soft for someone with such a gruff exterior.

"But Rick, I promised that man-."

Even though Niles knew that his phone wouldn't be charged any time soon, he was grateful that the woman had indeed remembered her promise. However, Rick wasn't about to let her fulfill that promise. Not that it surprised Niles one bit.

"Come on, Monique, let's go. You don't need to associate with that bum!"

Niles flinched at the word. It was like a knife to his heart and he quickly turned to retrieve his briefcase and his roses, appalled that he'd left them in plain sight. He couldn't be taking chances on losing the only things that he had left.

When Monique ad Rick disappeared from sight, never to be seen by Niles again, Niles disappeared into the nearest men's room. As he suspected, the place was grimy, and under any other circumstances, he would have searched high and low for a more suitable men's room before using this one. But he had no choice in the matter. After he was finished, he went to the mirror to wash his hands and slowly lifted his head, catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror. What he saw shocked him beyond belief.

His skin was splotchy and pale, even more so than usual. His eyes were those of a man who was exhausted beyond belief; red-rimmed and hollow. His clothes were wrinkled and stained and his hair was an unruly mess. The sight once again made him physically ill, causing him to rush into the nearest stall.  
Wearily he walked out of the stall after a few moments, feeling worse for wear.

Dear God, Rick had been right. He really _was_ a bum.


	18. Chapter 18

Suddenly feeling dejected, Niles returned to the bus depot waiting room. The woman in the green and white dress (Monique) and her companion (Rick) were long gone and Niles' cell phone was still without power. He had no luggage, no change of clothing and now, no means of contacting Daphne. It would be next to impossible to find a pay phone, even in the small town of Ritzville. Never in his life did he dream that something as recognizable as a pay phone would be something that his young son David would never see in his lifetime. It seemed like such a common thing, now thought of as nearly obsolete. The world had changed so much since Niles married Daphne and although things weren't the same, he wouldn't have them any other way.

Except this moment of course. For every moment he spent in Ritzville was a moment spent away from those he loved. Time was precious and even more so now that he was so far away.

He returned to the row of blue seats, which was surprisingly still empty and sat down on the cold, hard plastic. At that point he was so exhausted that he could hardly keep his eyes open. He had to get some sleep, no matter what the cost. A glance at his watch indicated that he still had a few more hours before he was to board the bus. Because the trip to Ephrata would only take a little more than an hour, sleep would be welcome in any form; in any amount. And hopefully he'd be well-rested but the time he reached the town of Ephrata.

Ephrata…

Whoever came up with such a preposterous name for a city? Well, frankly he didn't care if the name of the damned town was Timbuk Three. If it put him closer to David and Daphne, then all of this chaos and the nightmarish hell would have been worth it.

But now he needed sleep, badly. He removed his jacket and crumpled it into a ball. That was how desperate he had become; he'd resorted to purposely wrinkling his own clothing (make that very expensive clothing) in order to have a soft place on which to rest his head.

Dear God, is this what homeless and less fortunate people did every night of their lives? He simply couldn't fathom the idea, nor did he want to. Instead he pushed the thought from his mind and placed the crumpled jacket on the very last chair in the row on the left hand side.

On the floor (Much to his dismay) he carefully placed the bouquet of roses (which at this point were so tattered and torn, the poor things could hardly be called _roses_), and then laid his briefcase on the other end of the row. The briefcase would become a footrest, and he was thankful for the plush leather of the soft case. Had he opted for the traditional hard leather briefcase, he would be even more uncomfortable. Given the choice, he would have much rather forgone Ritzville all together in favor of sleeping in his warm king-sized bed, with Daphne spooned against him. However, there was no chance of that happening anytime soon. Not tonight anyway.

His shoes were off in seconds and he made sure to be in eye range of the cheap wooden clock that hung on the wall. And as an extra precaution, he set the alarm on his watch for 9:00. There was absolutely no way that he was going to miss this bus.

No way at all.


End file.
